Toothbrush bristle element having serrated outer structure

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush includes a handle having a bristle head on one end, and a number of bristle elements each having a lower end portion attached to the bristle head, and each having an upper end portion located distal to the bristle head, and the bristle elements each include a number of scraping protrusions extended radially and outwardly from an outer peripheral portion, and the scraping protrusions each include a triangular shape having a sharp outer end for allowing the scraping protrusions of the bristle element to form a star-shape configuration and for frictionally engaging with the teeth of the user and for increasing or facilitating the tooth brushing effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toothbrush, and more particularly to a toothbrush including a number of bristle elements each having a serrated outer appearance or cross section for frictionally engaging with the teeth of the user and for increasing or facilitating the tooth brushing effect.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical toothbrushes comprise a number of bristle elements or members arranged in a matrix or the like in a bristle holder for selectively engaging with the teeth of the user and for brushing or cleaning the teeth of the user.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,282 to Kaufman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,142 to Yoshioka, U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,046 to Eguchi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,212 to O'Conke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,135 to Su, U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,737 to Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,235 to Li, U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,151 to Rauch, U.S. Patent No. 5,419,001 to Wan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,152 to Jeannet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,083 to Iwai et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,972 to Bredall et al. disclose several of the typical toothbrushes each also comprising a number of bristle elements or members disposed or attached or mounted or secured or supported in a bristle holder or bristle head and arranged in a matrix form or shape or the like for selectively engaging with the teeth of the user and for brushing or cleaning the teeth of the user.

However, as shown in FIG. 5, the bristle elements or members 9 of the typical toothbrushes normally comprise a longitudinal structure or configuration including a rounded or circular outer appearance or cross section and including a smooth outer peripheral surface that may smoothly engaging with the smooth outer peripheral surface 80 of the tooth 8 of the user and that may not effectively and frictionally engaging with the smooth outer peripheral surface 80 of the tooth 8 of the user and that may not effectively brushing or cleaning the tooth 8 of the user.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional toothbrush bristle elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush including a number of bristle elements each having a serrated outer appearance or cross section for frictionally engaging with the teeth of the user and for increasing or facilitating the tooth brushing effect.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a toothbrush comprising a handle including a bristle head provided on one end portion of the handle, and the bristle head including an upper portion, and a number of bristle elements each including a longitudinal structure having a lower end portion attached to the upper portion of the bristle head, and having an upper end portion located distal to and spaced from the upper portion of the bristle head, and the bristle elements each including a number of scraping protrusions extended radially and outwardly from an outer peripheral portion of the bristle element, and the scraping protrusions each including a triangular shape having a sharp outer end for allowing the scraping protrusions of the bristle element to form a star-shape configuration and for frictionally engaging with the teeth of the user and for increasing or facilitating the tooth brushing effect.

The scraping protrusions of the bristle element are preferably equally spaced from each other for forming a uniform star-shape configuration for effectively brushing or cleaning the outer peripheral surfaces of the teeth of the user.

The bristle elements are made or manufactured with soft or resilient elements or materials, such as Nylon, rubber or plastic materials or the like for allowing the working life of the bristle elements to be suitably increased.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a toothbrush in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one of the bristle elements of the toothbrush;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the bristle element of the toothbrush, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan schematic view illustrating the operation of the bristle element of the toothbrush; and

FIG. 5 is another plan schematic view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the typical bristle element of the typical toothbrush.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a toothbrush in accordance with the present invention comprises a handle 10 including a bristle holder or bristle head 11 formed or provided on a free end or one end portion thereof, and the bristle head 11 includes an upper portion or upper surface 12 for disposing or attaching or mounting or securing or supporting a number of bristle members or elements 30 thereon.

For example, the bristle elements 30 each include a longitudinal structure or configuration having a lower or one or first end portion 31 disposed or attached or mounted or secured or engaged with or into the upper portion 12 of the bristle head 11, and having an upper or another or second end portion 32 located distal to or spaced from the upper portion 12 of the bristle head 11. The bristle elements 30 may be made or manufactured with soft or resilient elements or materials, such as Nylon, rubber or plastic materials or the like for allowing the working life of the bristle elements 30 to be suitably increased.

As best shown in FIGS. 2-4, the bristle element 30 includes a number of, or four or more scraping blades or elements or members or projections or protrusions 33 extended radially and outwardly from the outer peripheral surface or portion 34 of the bristle element 30, and the scraping protrusions 33 are equally spaced from each other and each include a triangular shape having a sharp outer end 35 for allowing the scraping protrusions 33 of the bristle element 30 to form a serrated outer structure or configuration or a serrated cross section or to form a star-shape structure or configuration.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 4, the outwardly projected or protruded or extended scraping protrusions 33 of the bristle elements 30 of the toothbrush may frictionally engage with the outer peripheral surface 80 of the tooth 8 of the user and may effectively brush or clean the outer peripheral surface 80 of the tooth 8 of the user.

Accordingly, the toothbrush in accordance with the present invention includes a number of bristle elements each having a serrated outer appearance or cross section for frictionally engaging with the teeth of the user and for increasing or facilitating the tooth brushing effect.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A toothbrush comprising: a handle including a bristle head provided on one end portion of said handle, and said bristle head including an upper portion, and a plurality of bristle elements each including a longitudinal structure having a lower end portion attached to said upper portion of said bristle head, and having an upper end portion located distal to and spaced from said upper portion of said bristle head, and said bristle elements each including a plurality of scraping protrusions extended radially and outwardly from an outer peripheral portion of said bristle element, and said scraping protrusions each including a triangular shape having a sharp outer end for allowing said scraping protrusions of said bristle element to form a star-shape configuration.
 2. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scraping protrusions of said bristle element are equally spaced from each other.
 3. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bristle elements are made of Nylon materials. 